Riverside rolls into 2nd round on 14th straight win
Published 12:06 am Wednesday, April 22, 2015
- Riverside’s Briley Becker leaps onto home plate (and her teammates) after socking a home run in the second inning of the Rebels’ 15-0 victory Monday. (Ryan Arena/L’OBSERVATEUR)
RESERVE — The rain didn’t slow Riverside’s momentum. It didn’t at all.
The No. 2 seeded Lady Rebels took to the field for a Class 2A first round playoff matchup with visiting Haynes Monday and made short work of the Yellowjackets, scoring 12 first inning runs en route to a 15-0 victory in four innings by the 15-run rule.
Riverside (20-5) has won 14 straight games, the last four of those all coming by the 10 or 15 run rule. The Rebels advance to the regional round at 5 p.m. Friday in Reserve, where they will host No. 15 Fisher (17-7), which defeated 2014 Class 2A champion Oak Grove in round one, 3-2.
Cheyenne Triche had one of the finest days of her prep career on the mound, tossing a perfect game. She struck out five in the victory.
“I’m very excited because that was my first-ever no hitter,” Triche said. “I knew my defense was backing me up. (Riverside)Coach Tamra (Regalo) has been helping me a lot this year with my pitching and she’s been great. We think we can win it all.”
Regalo added, “It’s always a good day when your pitcher’s on. These kids have been here before, and they’re used to the pressure.”
Madison Watson went 2 for 2 with four RBIs and two runs scored, while Erica Delaneuville went 2 for 3 with three runs scored. Briley Becker hit a solo home run. Toni Perrin went 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Each of the Rebels’ nine batters reached base. Riverside recorded six extra base hits, including two doubles by Delaneuville.
Oak Grove dropped to 17-13 with the loss.
Caitlin Roussel drew a walk to get the Rebels started, and Watson, Lexi Johnson and Abby Bourgeois kicked off the run production by driving in runs to make it 4-0. Perrin blasted a double to center field to plate the next two runs, making it 6-0.
Roussel bunted her way aboard as RA batted around, then Janie Milioto drew a walk to load the bases. Watson cleared them via a triple to make it 9-0. Delaneuville followed up with a double to score another run, then Lexi Johnson singled home two more runs to round out the 12-run frame.
In the second inning, the Rebels scored just one run, but it was a highlight, with Becker leading off the inning by launching a towering shot over the right field wall.
Abby Bourgeois plated another run in the third when she doubled home Delaneuville. Hailey Tassin capped the day in the fourth, hitting a ground ball with the bases loaded and one out to score the 15th and game-ending run.
“We’ve got a great community that comes out to support us,” Regalo said. “Our kids are getting their bat on the ball and doing a great job hitting.”
While Riverside boasts a team featuring plenty of youth, the Rebels are also loaded with big game experience after trips to the state final and semifinals, respectively, in each of the past two seasons.
Watson was a key part of last year’s squad that fell 10-5 to Oak Grove in the semifinals. Riverside led 3-0 in that game but stranded six baserunners early, and ultimately the Tigers surged ahead to win. Likewise, the Rebels loss to John Curtis in the finals two years ago was another heartbreaker, a 3-2 Patriots win in extra innings.
“We felt we should have had (Oak Grove),” Watson said. “It definitely adds a lot of motivation for us to push through this season.”